The introduction of printed circuit boards, known as PCBs, in the electronics industry created the need for accurate placement of components and rapid insertion thereof on the boards. Many machines have been developed to provide more efficient solutions to these problems.
Although many efforts have been made to develop component insertion machines, most of them are not pertinent to the present invention. Some of them are for inserting a single type of component, such as that disclosed in Walsh U.S. Pat. No. 2,850,737, which is designed to insert radial-lead disc-type capacitors into printed circuit board. The insertion mechanism picks up the component on the retraction stroke of the insertion cycle and inserts it on the next down stroke.
Gagnon U.S. Pat. No. 2,893,008 discloses a component inserter which has multiple inserters spaced at intervals along a production line, each of which handles a different type of component.
Hazel U.S. Pat. No. 2,901,127 discloses an insertion device which picks up a component and forms the leads into a desired configuration before inserting it into holes in a printed circuit board.
Pierson U.S. Pat. No. 4,030,180 discloses an insertion machine which twists from its normal insertion attitude to pick up a component, then twists back to the original attitude for inserting it into the workpiece. The insertion head is consequently complex.
Mori et al U.S. Pat. No. 4,329,776 discloses an insertion machine which carries a multiplicity of parts on a conveyor belt of some kind, i.e., a tape to which the parts adhere, and performs various forming, trimming, and other operations prior to inserting the parts into a workpiece.
Although the aim of the above existing devices is more-or-less the same as that of the present invention, the structures and processes are substantially different.